Lawsonia inermis, widely recognised as the source of henna dye used for colouring skin and fabrics, may soon have a life-saving medical application. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have discovered that pigments derived from the plant could help combat liver fibrosis — a serious disease that leads to excessive scar tissue formation in the liver due to chronic injury.

Understanding Liver Fibrosis

Liver fibrosis occurs when prolonged liver damage — often from factors like alcohol abuse or unhealthy lifestyles — causes fibrous scar tissue to replace healthy liver tissue. This progressive scarring disrupts liver function and can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, or even cancer. Despite affecting an estimated 3–4% of the population in its advanced stages, effective treatments remain scarce.

Targeting the Root Cause: Hepatic Stellate Cells

A key player in fibrosis development is the hepatic stellate cell (HSC). Under normal conditions, HSCs help maintain liver stability. However, during liver injury, they become overactive and produce excess collagen and fibrous tissue, impairing the liver’s natural functions.

Discovering Lawsone: The Healing Component in Henna

The research team led by Associate Professor Tsutomu Matsubara and Dr. Atsuko Daikoku at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Medicine developed a chemical screening system to find compounds that directly act on activated HSCs. Through this method, they identified Lawsone — a chemical component found in Lawsonia inermis (henna) — as a potential inhibitor of HSC activation.

Promising Results in Laboratory Tests

When Lawsone was administered to mice, researchers observed a significant decrease in liver fibrosis markers such as YAP, αSMA, and COL1A. At the same time, the expression of cytoglobin — a marker linked with antioxidant functions in HSCs — increased, suggesting that the activated cells were reverting to their normal, non-fibrotic state.

Toward the First Fibrosis-Reversing Drug

The findings suggest that Lawsone-based treatments could not only halt the progression of fibrosis but also promote liver recovery.

“We are currently developing a drug delivery system capable of transporting drugs to activated HSCs and ultimately hope to make it available for patients with liver fibrosis,” Matsubara said. “By controlling fibroblast activity, including HSCs, we could potentially limit or even reverse the effects of fibrosis.”

Summary: Key Takeaways

• Discovery: Researchers identified Lawsone, a natural compound in henna, as a promising inhibitor of liver fibrosis.
• Mechanism: Lawsone acts on activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), reducing fibrosis markers and promoting cell recovery.
• Results: Mouse studies showed reduced liver scarring and increased antioxidant activity.
• Future Potential: The team aims to develop a targeted drug delivery system to bring this treatment to human patients.

Original Publication
Authors: Atsuko Daikoku, Tsutomu Matsubara, Misako Sato-Matsubara, Miku Ando, Chiho Kadono, Sayuri Takada, Naoshi Odagiri, Hideto Yuasa, Hayato Urushima, Katsutoshi Yoshizato, Norifumi Kawada and Kazuo Ikeda.
Journal: Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2025.118520
Method of Research: Experimental study
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Lawsone can suppress liver fibrosis by inhibition of YAP signaling and induction of CYGB expression in hepatic stellate cells
Article Publication Date: 4-Sep-2025
COI Statement: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships.

Original Source: https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/

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